Jon Stewart Skewers Fox News for Defending Donald Trump
New York, N.Y. — Jon Stewart, the legendary comedian and former host of “The Daily Show,” has once again turned his satirical eye towards Fox News, delivering a biting critique of the network’s unwavering defense of former President Donald Trump. During a recent episode of his show, “The Problem with Jon Stewart,” Stewart dissected Fox News’ coverage of Trump with his trademark wit and incisiveness.
Stewart began by highlighting Fox News’ tendency to downplay or dismiss serious allegations against Trump. “Fox News has a unique talent,” Stewart quipped, “for transforming every Trump controversy into a nothingburger. If Trump were caught on tape admitting to crimes, Fox would run a segment on how well he speaks into a microphone.”
One of Stewart’s most pointed critiques came in response to Fox News’ coverage of Trump’s controversial phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2019. In the call, Trump asked Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, which led to his first impeachment. Fox News hosts like Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham frequently described the call as “perfect” and a non-issue. Stewart, with a mocking tone, said, “Yes, because when I ask for a ‘favor’ from a foreign leader about my political opponent, it’s just perfect diplomacy. What’s next? Asking the Easter Bunny for an investigation?”
Stewart also took aim at Fox News’ coverage of the January 6th Capitol riot. Despite overwhelming evidence and footage showing the violent actions of Trump supporters, some Fox News personalities, including Tucker Carlson, downplayed the event. Carlson called it a “political protest that got out of hand.” Stewart retorted, “Calling the Capitol riot a ‘political protest that got out of hand’ is like calling the Titanic a ‘boating mishap.’ It’s a bit of an understatement, don’t you think?”
Another notable moment in Stewart’s critique was his commentary on Fox News‘ handling of Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election being stolen. Despite numerous court rulings and lack of evidence supporting these claims, Fox News hosts continued to give them airtime. Stewart sarcastically remarked, “Fox News’ commitment to ‘stop the steal’ is so strong, they should get capes. They’re like superheroes, but instead of fighting crime, they’re fighting reality.”
Throughout his monologue, Stewart emphasized the broader implications of Fox News’ coverage. “When a major news network twists itself into a pretzel to defend the indefensible, it doesn’t just harm their credibility—it harms public discourse and democracy itself,” he warned.
The response to Stewart’s takedown was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising his ability to blend humor with critical analysis. Clips from the show quickly went viral on social media, reigniting discussions about media responsibility and bias.
Jon Stewart’s latest critique underscores his enduring role as a sharp, influential voice in American political satire. As long as there are powerful figures and institutions to hold accountable, fans can count on Stewart to deliver his unique blend of humor and critique, keeping the powerful in check with a well-timed punchline.